5 Professional Video Editing Software Features You Should Know

Introduction

The development of video editing software has been tremendous throughout time.In this era, it is much easier for beginners to edit their videos using the high-tech software which used to be found in studios only. However, this does not mean that you must know everything due to many buttons.

With a good knowledge of the essential **professional video editing software features** you will be able to edit faster, organize your project properly and make better videos. The use of the keyframe, color correction, audio, mask, and multi camera editing features can be helpful with various projects.

Yet you don’t have to know all the details at the beginning. It is better to start off by learning the basics and then proceed to the more complicated aspects.

Keyframes for Smooth Animation

What are keyframes ?

One of the most effective aspects of professional video editing software is keyframes. Keyframes enable the user to control the way the property will be animated over time.

For instance, using keyframes, one may animate:

•  Position
•  Scale
•  Rotation
•  Opacity
•  Volume
•  Effects

Suppose that one wants to move a title located at the bottom of the screen to the center. In this case, one places one keyframe at the initial location and another one at the final location. The software will create the animation from one point to another.

Beginners’ tip

Do not place too many keyframes. It is recommended to start with just two or three keyframes, adjusting the timing. Then one may play with easing to create the desired effect.

Keyframes are useful for YouTube videos, motion graphics, product videos, etc.

Advanced Colour Correction and Colour Grading

Colour tools can really change how your video looks at the end. Most professional editing software gives you controls for exposure contrast, highlights, shadows, saturation, temperature and many other colour adjustments.

Colour correction vs colour grading

** correction** is mainly about making footage look balanced and natural. For example if a clip looks too dark or if it has a blue colour you can fix that with colour correction.

**Colour grading** is, about creating a visual mood or style. A travel video might show warm colours while a dramatic short film might use darker and more controlled tones.

Practical tip

Ensure that your footage is corrected before using any color grading techniques creatively. Ensure that you line up your clips such that the shots from different cameras look similar to one another.

Do not over-saturate. Strong colours may look attractive on your editing monitor but can become unnatural after export.

Professional Audio Editing Tools

Good video needs good audio. While it is possible to overlook minor problems visually, bad quality sound can quickly interfere with one’s viewing experience.

Most professional video editing programs come equipped with the means to alter audio levels, remove noise, add audio effects, and mix several audio channels together.

What can you do with audio tools?

You can:

* Adjust dialogue volume

* Balance music and voice

* Remove or reduce unwanted noise

* Add sound effects

* Create smooth audio fades

* Control different audio tracks separately

For example, when editing a talking-head video, your voice should remain clear while background music stays at a lower level.

Beginner tip

Testing of the project must be done before the process of rendering and it is important to ensure that there are no unexpected loud sounds at the beginning, middle, or end of the video.

Masking and Tracking

Another feature commonly employed by professional video editors is masking. Masking means picking a certain section of your video and applying an effect on it.

For instance, you may want to blur someone's face, highlight a product or even make a change in a certain item in the video without making any changes to the entire picture.

How tracking can assist

The software is able to track objects in the video and therefore make sure that your mask follows the object.

This feature is helpful especially when the object being masked is moving.

Practical example

Let us suppose that you have to edit an interview and you want to blur the person's face. In such a case, you can add a mask on the face and use the tracking option to ensure that the blur keeps following the face even when it starts moving.

Tracking might require manual adjustment depending on whether the subject moves fast and hides behind some other object. Make sure that you verify the output after doing this.

Multi-Camera Editing

Multi-camera editing is particularly useful in the cases where an event is captured by more than one camera.

This is normally done during interviews, podcasts, events, music concerts, tutorials, and live recordings.

This is because through multi-camera editing, you do not need to place the clips separately and manually.

Example

Picture two different camera views in an interview recording. View A consists of the wide view of both individuals, whereas View B provides the close view of the person talking.

Once the synchronization process is done, you can alternate between View A and View B based on the conversation.

The end result would be much more engaging without any need for difficult cutting from separate timelines.

Practical Tips for Learning the Features

The study of professional video editing software could become extremely daunting once trying to comprehend everything simultaneously. Instead, it is recommended that you learn each feature one by one.

Here is how you can do it:

1. Choose a short video clip.

2. Practise one feature for 15–20 minutes.

3. Create a small editing exercise.

4. Watch the result carefully.

5. Repeat the exercise using different footage.

In addition, study keyboard shortcuts for the programs you use all the time. Shortcuts will help you decrease the number of unnecessary mouse movements.

Save your project regularly and organise your media into separate folders.For you to have successful projects, it is important that they be well organized because as they get more complex due to the use of many clips, audio files, graphics, and exports.

Mistakes to Avoid

The first mistake is utilizing the powerful features just because they are there. The effects, transitions, color correction, and animations need to enhance the story and not interfere with it.

Another mistake is ignoring the original footage. It is essential to ensure that it is correctly shot as far as its exposure, focus, framing, and audio are concerned.

Novices also make changes without creating any backups. When doing anything important, save several copies of your project to be able to go back if there are some issues with your edits.

Lastly, do not compare your work to professional productions right away. Many advanced edits require years of practice. Work on developing your skills one by one.

Final Thoughts

Learning to edit videos professionally becomes easier when you think about features that are useful for something. For example, keyframes can be used to add movement; colour adjustment tools can help improve the look of videos, audio control features help to clarify the sound; masking and tracking are solutions to specific problems in video editing, and multicamera video editing makes work easier.

Start from one useful feature; learn how to use it, and then gradually include other tools in your practice.